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Alan Green: Celtic and Rangers aren’t a big draw in England
Monday, 24 August 2009
enlargeEvery time I go up to Glasgow for a game, it’s the same old story - at least one of the taxi drivers I meet wants to know my thoughts on the ‘prospect’ of Celtic and Rangers playing in the English Premier League.
“Over my dead body” is my standard response or, as I said on Tuesday night, “that’s the day I retire.”
I felt for Arsene Wenger. It was plain his diversion into talking about a potential European Super League — “within ten years” — in the build up to the Champions League play-off was his way of avoiding giving his thoughts on the Old Firm appearing regularly south of the border.
The truth is I know of no one of significance ‘down here’ that gives the idea house room — except, possibly, for the odd power-broker in television.
And that, to be fair, was the taxi driver’s point: “If SKY wants it, they’ll get it. They know the huge appeal of Rangers and Celtic, not just in these islands but all across the world.”
I don’t doubt that but, frankly, their appeal is ridiculously out of proportion to their achievements outside of Scotland and I know all about Celtic being the first British winners of the European Cup. A banner proclaiming such is unfurled on every European occasion at Parkhead.
But should ‘appeal’ be enough? I say no. The wish to play in England reflects only their selfish desires to rake in more money. We may as well have Ajax or Anderlecht and that would be equally absurd.
Except in a European context, clubs should play within their own national boundaries.
The cases of Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham are historical anomalies.
No one, with a blank sheet of paper, would allow them to play in England nowadays if it wasn’t for history.
I spoke to John McClelland, the Scottish vice-president of the European Clubs’ Association (the successor to the ‘Group of 14’). He says he doesn’t detect a wish for clubs to play outside their own domestic leagues.
John is a nice guy but is obviously blind to the feelings within his own city of Glasgow.
He also didn’t see a ‘European Super League’ being held as a threat to UEFA. Yet that’s precisely what’s always lurking in the background.
UEFA has bent over backwards to appease the clubs, particularly the major clubs, and while that continues to happen there’ll be no breakaway league.
However, if there’s disagreement, if the rising tide of money from the Champions League isn’t ‘enough’, a European League WILL come about.
Wenger even forecasts a scenario in which major clubs have ‘two teams’, one for Europe, the other for their domestic league.
Since few want them in England, that surely is the only way forward for Celtic and Rangers.
And, before it happens, they have to somehow reduce the gulf in class between themselves and the likes of Arsenal that was so obvious the other night.
Otherwise, ‘serious’ European competition just isn’t interested.
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The last major achievement of a Scottish Club was Celtic winning the European Cup and that was 1967! What was so unique about it was that they were all local lads who played in that side. Compare that to the Celtic side today and every other big club in Britain right now-hardly a local lad or grass roots player in sight. How did it happen?
Scotlands performance against Norway the other week speaks for itself, homegrown players are becoming an endangered species. How about mega bucks investors turning some attention to this issue and then maybe Celtic and Rangers will discover a new appeal for playing in their own league.
Posted by paul Burns | 26.08.09, 09:57 GMT
Entry into the EPL would allow Celtic and Rangers access to the same amount of TV cash as current EPL teams. They'd therefore be able to compete on level terms for the signatures of all the foreign players who currently play for EPL teams, and would certainly challenge the top teams within a year or two.
In addition, with their huge fanbase, every game, both home and away, would see grounds packed to capacity.
There is no 'magic' reason or inbred talent which makes the top EPL teams better than Celtic or Rangers. The only reason is money. Plain and simple. Give the Scottish teams the same amount of money as the EPL teams, and of course they will improve -- because they'll then be able to afford to pay the wages demanded by the top foreign players who make up the majority of EPL teams. It's simple commonsense.
The same logic applies to a European Superleague.
Posted by Dunky MacLean | 25.08.09, 03:17 GMT
The sooner a european league comes in the better.Who wants to see teams like Stoke,Birmingham and Manchester City who have never achieved anything in european football suddenly becoming able to attract better quality players than Bayern Munich,PSV,Benefica and yes even Rangers and Celtic just because of television money.I would like to see a return to the good days when top european teams from the various european countries can keep there players and challenge Man united and Chelsea.Fortunately Barcelona and Real Madrid can still match these powerhouses of English football but for how much longer.Hopefully a european league could attract the television money that the english premier league and the championship attract and the small english teams who have no following can return to where they came from.
Posted by scott | 25.08.09, 00:49 GMT
Celtic and Rangers should stay in Scotland - we could all do without the sectarianism. I go over to watch Man Utd with Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea fans and and you wouldn't hear a sectarian word never mind a chant.
Posted by Patrick | 24.08.09, 18:07 GMT
Why bother with the Champions league, as there isn't much 'serious'competition until the quarter/semi finals.
Posted by Graeme | 24.08.09, 17:13 GMT
Alan who? Sorry, never heard of you. However, across the world the names Celtic and Rangers are well established. And that is the point. They may have achieved little outside of Scotland in some time (two finalist positions in the UEFA Cup within five years, along with three last sixteen places in the Champions' League, suggests the opposite is true), but how would their chances improve if operating on a more even finacial scale? I would suggest that these would increase dramatically given the global nature of their brand - only surpassed in England by Manchester United and, perhaps, Liverpool - and within a short time they would be challenging the top four elite of the Premiership. The same cannot be said of the existing clubs within the Premiership who stand outside of the top four. How many Hull or Villa replica stripes are shipped to mainland Europe and beyond? Add to this the fan base of these two clubs they would bring and there is the true appeal. Atmosphere. Just ask Arsene!
Posted by Pablo | 24.08.09, 17:06 GMT
Chester play home matches in Wales yet are Football League and Derry City play outside national boundaries. And with regards any gulf in class, it should not be forgotten that most clubs in the premiership frequently receive a good thumping from the likes of Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea so any suggestion that Celtic or Rangers would be uncompetetive is unfair. Arsenal, clearly the more skilful team, still only managed to win by a deflection and an own goal so the massive gulf in class is a myth.
Posted by Jhon | 24.08.09, 15:07 GMT
Good one alan...celtic and rangers aren't a big draw but wigan and wolves are??? get real
Posted by Jim | 24.08.09, 13:11 GMT
Rangers and Celtic would certainly be the strongest teams in a new superleague and would have to be as they would be propping it up year after year.
Posted by HC | 24.08.09, 12:05 GMT